Inter Miami were recently held to a 2-2 stalemate against Atlanta United away from home. Lionel Messi did not start the match, but why not?
Inter Miami are, unsurprisingly, having a great MLS season. They sit at the top of the Eastern Conference, having won 19 matches, drawn six and lost only four.
Last night, when they were expected to make it to 20 wins, they actually made it to six draws. It was a disappointing result for The Herons, who failed to outwit a struggling Atlanta side.
Needless to say, Atlanta fans would have been happy to beat the team at the top of the table but how much do they have Lionel Messi not starting the match to thank?
Why was Lionel Messi benched in Inter Miami’s draw vs Atlanta United?
Lionel Messi was on the subs bench for Inter Miami vs Atlanta United for no reason other than to temporarily rest. Lionel Messi was not injured, he was simply rested due to his age.
Furthermore, Atlanta United are renowned for having an unkind playing surface. It is not the kind of playing surface Lionel Messi is used to from his days spent in Europe. So, to avoid injury to their key player, Inter Miami were sparing in their usage of Messi.
Lionel Messi was introduced to the match in the 61st minute, with his former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez joining him later on.
It was expected that Lionel Messi would make some incredible touches and he did. In fact, he almost dazzled the Atlanta defence but ultimately, playing for half an hour was not enough for him to find the key to goal.
Last night's result was not disastrous for Inter Miami. They rested key players and paid the price for it but they will not have regrets. After all, they are still comfortable at the top of the Eastern Conference, eight points ahead of FC Cincinnati in second.